Machine for packing tablets and similar articles



July 14, 1953 c. NICOLLE 2,645,070

MACHINE FOR PACKING TABLETS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed May 27. 1947 5 Sheets$heet l IAIVE/VZ'OR C'HH RLE5 NICOLLE ATTORNEY y 4, 1953 c; NICOLLE 2,645,070

MACHINE FOR PACKING TABLETS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES C. NICOLLE July 14, 1953 MACHINE FOR PACKING TABLETS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed May 27, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR C/I ar/es NLCOLLC e, Q JW C. NICOLLE July 14, 1953 MACHINE FOR PACKING TABLETS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed May 27. 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IIIF I .I. \J V V I 1.. 1. FH G m m mmfw I! NM H 7.5 A w m ma m-N u v \EQ m I x 11 1|, J 1 mr ll MN 8 mbt o Q Q 7/ //A a C. NICOLLE July 14, 1953 MACHINE FOR PACKING TABLETS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed May 27, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q m N fi 00000 Q 00 0 O D o \w Q N ,9 Qw q q H. 1 1 i I I N\ mm MN N h & Q g

- HTTORNE Patented July 14, 1953 OFFICE MACHINE FOR PACKING TABLETS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Charles Nicolle, Gentilly, France Application May 2'7, 1947, Serial No. 750,681

In France June 3, 1946 9 Claims.

My invention deals withv the packaging of articles and various products but especially solid substances which may be preformed into tablets, pills, lozenges, etc. These substances or articles of definite uniform shape, or in amounts accurately measured are filled into cup shaped depressions preformed in sheets of a suitable plastic material, for instance cellulose acetate, and the filled cups are then closed and sealed by depositing on the sheets a covering material, which may be plain or may be formed with embossed portions corresponding to the cups in the first sheet and is sealed in any well known manner to the underpressed portions of the first sheet.

The covering material may be of the same composition as the first sheets or of difierent material, such as for instance the sheet material sold under the trade name of cellophane. The combined sheets may then be cut into sections which may comprise a plurality of sealed packages.

The present invention aims at securing at high speed and with close accuracy the assembly of such packages without requiring the use of completely automatic methods that call for highly intricate machines and costly manufacture. In accordance with the invention, the machine is actuated by an operator but his work is done with comparative ease, as a simple forward and return motion imparted to a control member suflices for the automatic simultaneous actuation of the steady forward motion of the impressed sheets, the filling of the cups, their delivery to the ocmenting press and their travel through the cutting machine. The cementing press and the cutting machine are controlled by a pedal worked by the same operator. Therefore it can be said that the general operation is semi-automatic.

The process consists in dealing out the impressed sheets one by one, and bringing them under a distributor of tablets or similar articles, where the containers are charged, and placing over the filled impressed sheets the cover sheet or covering them with strips planned to act as sealing covers, then sealing together the component parts of the package in a press Where they are cemented, and finally in cutting the multiple packages, each one of which comprises a predetermined number of individual packages.

The machine designed to work this method offers among other features the possession of a row of parallel horizontal cords that stretch from one end of the machine to the other, and on which slide the impressed sheets on their way through the machine.

The machine is characterized in addition by a special arran ement of distributors that allow the release of the impressed sheets one by one, but hold back the cardboard members that keep the sheets apart so that they do not nest together. A special device adjusts the discharge of these cardboard members to the rear.

Another feature bears on a special movable member forming a grid furnished with perforations or cavities wherein the recessed parts of the sheets nest. This grid may assume a to and fro motion with a range equal to the length of a sheet. At the end of its travel it may be lowered and release the sheet picked up. It is then brought to the rear and subsequently raised to carry another sheet along.

An additional feature of the. machine is the cementing press that comprises a primary die forming part of the stationary jaw of the press with fixed punches in relation to which the die may have a slight movement and a secondary die carried by the moving jaw while the two dies draw near to each other and bind, cement and emboss the fiat parts lying between the containers.

Finally the machine includes a shearing device planned for cutting the multiple packages especially when the sheet that forms the package cover is replaced by one or more continuous strips. This device shows a series of shearing blades that are directed in their operational movement to take up an exact predetermined position at the instant when the shears do their work.

In the drawings affixed to this specification and forming part thereof one embodiment of a machine adapted for the carrying out of the new packaging process is illustrated diagrammatically by way of example.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 to 10 illustrate various styles of packages to be executed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic elevation of the machine as a whole.

Fig. 12 is a corresponding plan View.

Figs. 13 and 14 are two detailed views showing the working of the grid.

Figs. 15, 16, 1'7 and 18 are diagrams illustrating the general working of the machine.

Figs. 19 to 24 are views of various details.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 10 that show a certain number of different forms of packages which can be produced in accordance with the invention, it is apparent that Figs. 1 and 2 show in elevation and in plan a small plate carrying twelve receptacies, each enclosing a tablet. This plate is made by joining together two sheets a-b of plastic. ma e ial th ha bee sh e reh nd.-

These two sheets are connected by sealing together all the unrecessed portion that is corrugated in order to make it stiller. Lengthwise or crosswise lines of perforations allow the easy separation of the rows of tablets and make it simple to tear the material between adjoining containers to get hold of the tablet.

The containers can assume various outlines, as illustrated in Figs. 3 to 10. The lower sheet may be the only one recessed (Fig. '7) the upper sheet may be slightly shaped at the time of molding for instance (Figs. 8, 9, In the case where both sheets are recessed, both impressions can be made in the same direction with the upper recess nesting in the lower one that is deeper so as to maintain between the two bottoms of the recesses sufficient housing space for the tablet.

Lastly the two sheets may be of a different nature, especially in the case where the upper sheet is not recessed beforehand. In such a case 1 the lower recessed sheet is made of some material that may be shaped, hot for instance like cellulose acetate and the upper sheet of some stuff that is not susceptible to shaping or only slightly so, such as the material known under the trade name of cellophane.

It is this latter case that has been taken as an example of which a description follows. In this case the lower recessed sheets are covered and the packages closed by means of continuous strips of cellophane, that are cut accordingly along the required lines to provide the plates of 12 tablets for instance, or for any other number of tablets.

The machine includes in its general layout a distributor of recessed sheets A (Fig. 11) another distributor for tablets B, an arrangement F for the support and steering of the recessed sheets 17 during their travel, a grid G providing the for-- ward movement of the sheets, an area D where the upper sheet is engaged on the lower sheet or also, as in the example shown, continuous strips are wound and engaged on the lower sheet, a cementing press C and a shearing fitting E. The receiving recessed lower sheets I) are stacked in the distributor A (Fig. 11) with the recesses on the lower side. They are kept apart from each other by cardboard slip-sheets that, as shown in Fig. 19 that is a horizontal section of the distributor, are furnished with heel-pieces l.

The distributor A has the shape of a box, open top and bottom, and showing three vertical walls 2, 3, 4 (Fig. 19) and two angle bars 5, against which bear the heel-pieces I, thus preventing the cardboards from being pulled forward.

This distributor box is not a fixture on the machine. It merely rests on bent supports 6 (Fig. 11) integral with the frame 1. To this end small bars 8 are fixed on the sides of the box and these bars are housed between the heel-pieces 9 of the supports and the retaining springs 10.

This distributor is charged away from the machine. It is placed in its bearings 6 and pushed until the springs l0 lift and ensure that the distributor box is held fast.

In the front lower part of the box is a horizontal slot I I through which the recessed sheets b may come out one by one.

The recessed sheets are held up and steered by a series of parallel horizontal cords l2 that stretch from one end of the machine to the other. These cords are stretched between two plates l3, 14 that are part of the frame of the machine. The word cords as used in this specification and claims is intended as a generic term, broad enough to cover not only fiber cords, but also mechanically equivalent structures, for example, wires.

The forward motion of the sheet I) is carried out by means of the movable grid G that will now be described.

This grid (Fig. 12) is composed of a rectangular plate containing as many cavities l5 as the sheet has recesses the recessed portions of the sheet that project downwardly are housed in these cavities. This plate is carried by two arms 16 that on one side are braced together by a handle bar ll and on the other side are integral with a round rod l8 that can slide in the holes of the plates l3 and I4, and of the bearings I9 fixed to the frame.

The topside of the grid shows between the rows of recesses parallel grooves 20 in which lie the horizontal cords l2.

The grid is furnished with alateral counterweight 2| that always helps to bring it back to its horizontal position and with a vertical arm 22 (Figs. 13 and 14) carrying a roller 23 that bears against the rear edge of the plate 24 of the frame.

Under the grid is fixed a square 25 that bears on a rectilinear guide 26 secured to the frame. This guide is notched in two places 21 and 28 (Fig. 11), and this allows the square 25 to pass through the guide when it registers with these places. A spring 29 recedes and moves out of the way when the square passes, and subsequently lifts, thus preventing any return motion of the grid. A similar sort of spring is located at 30 near the other out or notch.

The distributor B comprises a series of vertical tubes located by preference in the axis of the rows of containers or recesses in such a way that a tablet is dropped in each container when the latter is made to pass under the distributor, at the time of the forward movement of the recessed sheet.

In the section D are housed reels 3| carrying strips of cellophane. There are as many reels as there are rows of recesses or containers. Their axes 32 can rotate in mountings 33 integral with the frame. Means are provided for guiding the material from said reels into position covering said recesses.

The cementing press C consists of a fixed upper plate P1 and a movable lower plate P2 that are on opposite sides of the steering cords I2 on which the sheets b move forward.

The lower die 34 contains recesses 35 in which nest the projecting ends of the containers or recesses of the lower sheet with their load of goods.

The upper die 36 has similar recesses in which are housed fixed punches 3'. the base of which is suitably shaped. This die 36 can assume a slight movement in relation to the upper plate and it bears therefor on the springs 38.

Grooves 39 in the lower die provide the necessary runways for the cords l2 when the die is raised.

The cemented plate may be brought from the cementing press to the shearing section by a small bar 40 (Fig. 22), fixed on the rod l8. This bar carries claws 40a that may engage in the perforations of the sheet.

The shearing device comprises an upper fixed plate Q1, and a movable lower one Q2. The cemented assembly is carried by the stretched cords l2 and is brought between the plates. The lower late is furnished with pressure members 4| (Figs. 11 and 23), mounted flexibly that keep pressing on the sheet and stop it from moving during the 5. cutting operation. It comprises a series-of'shearing blades 42 that are mounted with a certain amount of play in the lower plate, as illustrated in the detailed view of Fig. 23. These blades form cutters with other fixedblades 43, against which they are pressed by the spring pushers'44. Blades 42 are provided with notches 420. which receive the cords l2 when the blades 42- move upward. In order to fix exactly the position of the two opposite cutting edges of each shear, the blades are lengthened laterally by extensions 45 and 4S 7 (Fig. 24) one of which has a heel, that keeps them in proper engagement in relation with each other at the start. The two movable plates of the presses are actuated by means of eccentrics or cams 5i and 52, keyed on a shaft 53 and actuated by a lever 54 connected to a control pedal, or to a mechanical control member.

The working is as follows:

A charged distributor A is placed on the supports 6 and in the distributor the recessed sheets b are kept apart by cardboard sheets 1. The distributor B on its side is charged with tablets, and supplied by any suitable method.

The lowest cardboard sheet 1 is drawn toward the left, as viewed in Figs. 11 and 12, so that the lower recessed sheet that is held by this cardboard falls on the grid G, and the recessed portions of this sheet that project below engage in the holes of the grid.

With this grid loaded in this way, the operator takes the handle I1 and pushes the grid forward, that is to say from left to right (Figs. 11 and 12).

The sheet bpasses under the distributor B. Every time a row of containers is placed under the lines of chutes of the distributor, a tablet drops from each chute into a container of the row.

The end of the travel is defined by a stop 4'! carried by the rod l8. Fig. 15 shows the grid, carrying the sheet with filled containers, as it reaches the end of its travel.

During the forward movement of the grid towards the right, the square 25 bears on the guiding rib 26 and the grid stays in its horizontal position.

At the end of its travel, this square appears above the gate 23. The operator bearing on the handle causes the square to pass through this window and rocks the grid that assumes the position shown in Fig. 14. The grid leaves the loaded recessed sheet I) hung on the cords 12, as shown in said Fig. 14. A

The operator then brings the grid to the rear (from right to left, Fig. 11) In this movement the grid retains the rocked position of Fig. 14, while the square 25 is engaged under the guide 26.

When the square comes opposite the gate 21, the counterweight 2| causes it to pass through this gate. The grid straightens up, takes again the position of Fig. 13 and is ready then to execute a new forward movement.

Fig. 16 shows the grid on its return to its starting position and the first charged recessed sheet located in section D. The lower cardboard is then withdrawn to disengage another recessed sheet. The withdrawal of the cardboard out of the distributor A, instead of being worked by hand, may be; carried out automatically by means of the device illustrated in Figs. and 21.

This device comprises a blade or bar 48 mounted on the rod I8, so as to accompany it in its to and fro movements, while allowing this bar to turn and staying always horizontal itself. This bar has a series of studs 49 each furnished with a hole through which passes one of the suspen sion cords [2. This blade then takes a to and fro movement at the same time as the grid does so. These studs 49, in their return movement, engage the front edge of the lower cardboard j and push it out of the distributor.

With the lower cardboard removed, av second recessed sheet falls on the grid that is made to move forward as before.

In going forward, it pushes in front of it the first sheet that goes into the cementing press (position of Fig. 17).

In order to start, the ends of the cellophane strips :1. are engaged by hand and they unroll from the reels 31 into the press as shown in Fig. 17.

If then the lever 54 is actuated, the lower plate of the press is raised. The plate P2 raises the assembly composed of the charged recessed sheet and the cellophane strips; they are thus. ressed together. The press is naturally warmed as known in the art and under the eifect of the pressure, the die 36 rises slightly, and this allows the punches 47 to shape the cellophane strips above the recesses and to form at will packages according to the types illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10.

It is the later forward motion of the recessed sheet in its form of a closed package that provides now the unwinding of the reels 3|, since the cellophane strips have been made integral with the sheet that has been cemented.

On the following stroke of the grid, the assembly comprising the recessed sheet and cellophane enters the section K. Then, on the following stroke, it is engaged in the shearing device E.

The following action on the lever 54 causes the simultaneous rise of the plates of the press C and of the shearing device E. In the example described, the blades of the shearing device divide the cemented assemblies into slabs of two rows each taking 12 tablets,

Thus each recessed sheet that comes from the distributor A causes a forward movement, through the working of the grid, of all the sheets that are in front of them in the different stages of the production through an amount equal to the length of this sheet.

In order to speed up, it is possible to arrange after the cementing press and if required in other sections automatic driving members such as those illustrated in Fig. 22.

Instead of two claws 40a, these members may carry only one claw placed precisely in the axis of the member between two containers. In this case, the supporting cord I2 that would lie in the path of this claw is omitted. The one or two claws 40a enter into the perforations provided in the recessed sheets, or if no such perforation is existent, stick in the material that.

as well known, is very thin in these packages (a few hundredths of a millimeter). The driving members also may by simple hooking into the containers assist in their movement towards the right.

It is also worthy of remark that from the cementing press onwards the individual recessed sheets are connected together by continuous strips of cellophane that are cemented to them. The continuous assemblies thus made are divided then by the shearing device.

It is clear that if instead of starting from separate recessed sheets, a beginning is made with a continuous recessed strip, the working of the machine described is still easier. The distributor 7 and the driving members that have been disclosed are then no longer necessary.

From the above description it is apparent that a sheet assumes in succession the position A in the distributor, the position D for the reception of the upper portion constituting the cover of the package located between the distributor A and the cementing press, the cementing position in C, the position K between this press and the shearing device, and finally the position at E where it goes through the cutting press (Fig. 18).

The discharge of the sheared plates or sheets is effected by the push of the following ones.

The movements of these sheets take place with great ease due to the fact that they are carried by the cords 12 on which they slide with a minimum of friction and as a result very easily.

It will be noticed that the sheets or plates are delivered automatically, at every stage of the process, to their correct stations merely through the working of the handle [1.

A sheet of glass, for instance, may be arranged at D (Fig. 1'!) to prevent the sheets from rising.

The packages obtained may each comprise any number of tablets according to requirements.

The arrangements outlined above are given only as examples; all the operating details, shapes, sizes, material employed may be modified in each case without widening the scope of the invention as defined in accompanying claims. The term manual as used in the claims is intended to include the actuation of pedal levers or the like by the feet of the operator.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for making multiple packages based on sheets of plastic packaging material having spaced rows of recesses for receiving articles to be packaged, said recesses being separated by plane portions, comprising supporting and guiding means for said sheets including a plurality of parallel cords supported at their ends and extending from a feeding station past a filling station, a covering station, a sealing station and a cutting station, said cords being spaced apart by distances substantially equal to the spacing between said rows of recesses, so that the plane portions of one or" said sheets may rest on said cords with the recesses of said one sheet extending downwardly between the cords; sheet feeding means at said feeding station including means for successively placing sheets on said cords with said plane portions resting on the cords, and means for pushing each sheet forward along said cords so that it pushes the one ahead, said pushing means comprising a pusher plate for engaging the under side of said sheet and having grooves for receiving said cords; means at said filling station for filling said recesses with articles to be packaged as the sheets are moved past; means at said covering station for covering the filled recesses, the covering being provided by rolls of strip material corresponding in number to the number of rows of recesses in said sheet, and means for guiding material from said rolls into positions covering said recesses; means at said sealing station for pressing said sheets and said covering strip material together so as to seal them, said pressing means comprising lower and upper plates for respectively engaging the plane portions of said sheet and the opposite portions of said strip material, said lower plate having grooves therein for receiving said cords, said pressing and sealing means being effective to transform said successive filled and covered sheets into a continuous strip of packages, means at said cutting station for cutting said strip into sections each comprising a plurality of individual packages, said cutting means comprising cooperating upper and lower knives, said lower knives being notched to receive said cords, and means for producing relative movement of said knives to out said sheets into sections.

2. Apparatus for feeding sheets of material having a plurality of spaced recesses surrounded by plane portions, comprising flat slip-sheets for interleaving with said recessed sheets, a box-like container adapted to receive a stack of recessed sheets alternately interleaved with slip-sheets, said container being open at the bottom and having the lower edge of one end cut away to permit movement of the bottom recessed sheet laterally out of the container, said container having the opposite end open from top to bottom but less than the width of said recessed sheets, said slipsheets being narrower than said recessed sheets so as to project through said open end and having wings extending laterally outside said open end to prevent the slip-sheets from moving laterally out of the container through the cut-away edge of said one end, the bottom slip-sheet being removable laterally through said open end to permit the recessed sheet thereabove to drop down into alignment with said cut-away edge.

3. Apparatus for feeding sheets of material as defined in claim 2, including sheet supporting and guiding means extending under said container to receive guide sheets dropping therefrom, said supporting and guiding means including a plurality of parallel cords supported at their ends and spaced apart so that they engage the plane portions of said sheets, with the recesses extending downwardly between the cords.

4. Apparatus for feeding sheets of material as defined in claim 3, including means for pushing each sheet along said cords through said cutaway edge, said pushing means comprising a pusher grid having in its upper surface one set of recesses for receiving the recesses of a sheet, and a second set of recesses for slidably receiving said cords, means supporting said grid for limited angular movement about an axis parallel to and spaced laterally from said cords between a pushing position wherein said grid engages said cords and any sheet which may be resting thereon and a lower retracted position wherein it is spaced from said cords, said grid being linearly movable on said grid supporting means parallel to said cords between a first position wherein the grid is aligned with the sheet container and a second position wherein it is completely out of alignment with the container, and means for preventing angular movement of said grid except when it is at said first and second positions, so that said grid in its pushing angular position may be moved from said first position to said second position to push a recessed sheet out of said container through said cut-away edge, then moved to its retracted angular position and while so retracted restored to its first position without moving any sheet on said cords.

5. Apparatus for feeding sheets of material as defined in claim 4, including means for removing the bottom slip-sheet through said open end during the restoring stroke of said pusher grid, said slip-sheet removing means comprising a bar extending transversely to and beneath said cords, and having upstanding projections apertured to slidably receive said cords, and means connecting 9 said bar to said grid for linear movement therewith, and permitting angular movement ofjthe grid without the bar, said projections being effective during a restoring stroke of the grid to engage the bottom slip-sheet and push it through the open end of the container.

6. Apparatus for making multiple packages based on sheet packaging material having spaced rows of recesses for receiving articles to be packaged, said recesses being separated by plane portions of said material, comprising a plurality of parallel cords supported at their ends and extending past a covering station and a sealing station, said cords being spaced apart by distances substantially equal to the spacing of said rows of recesses, so that the plane portions of said sheet material may rest on said cords with the recesses extending downwardly between the cords; means for supplying such sheet material to said covering station on said cords with the recesses of said sheet material filled, the covering being provided by rolls of strip material corresponding in number to the number of rows of recesses in said sheet material, means at said covering station for guiding a strip of material from each said roll to a position overlying one row of said filled recesses, the edges of said strips being substantially aligned with said cords; means at said sealing station for pressing said sheet material and covering strip material together so as to seal them, said pressing means comprising lower and upper plates for respectively engaging the plane portions of said sheet material and the opposite portions of strip material, said lowerplate havinggrooves therein for receiving said cords.

7. Apparatus for making multiple packages based on sheet packaging material having spaced rows of recesses for receiving articles to be packaged, said recesses being separated by plane portions of said material, comprising a plurality of parallel cords supported at their ends and extending past a covering station and a sealing station, said cords being spaced apart by distances substantially equal to the spacing of said rows of recesses, so that the plane portions of said sheet material may rest on said cords with the recesses extending downwardly between the cords; means for supplying such sheet material to said sealing station on said cords with its recesses filled and covered by continuous strip material, and means at said sealing station for pressing said sheet material and covering strip material together so as to seal them, said pressing means comprising lower and upper plates for respectively engaging the plane portions of said sheet material and the opposite portions of strip material, said lower plate having grooves therein for receiving said cords.

cords with the recesses extending downwardly between the cords; means for supplying to said cutting station on saidcords a continuous strip of sealed packages consisting of said recessed sheet material with its recesses filled and covered by continuous strip material, means at said cutting station for cutting said continuous strip of packages into sections, comprising an upper knife and a cooperating lower knife, said lower knife having notches for receiving said cords during the cutting operation. I

9. Apparatus for cutting sheet material having spaced rows of recesses separated by plane portions, comprising a plurality of parallel cords supported at their ends and spaced apart by distances substantially equal to the spacing between said rows of recesses, so that the plane portions of said sheet material may rest on said cords with the recesses extending downwardly between the cords, cooperating upper and lower knives located respectively above and below said cords and extending transversely of said cords, said lower knife being movable upwardly to engage said upper knife and out said sheet material, said lower knife having notches in its cutting edge for receiving said cords during the cutting operation.

CHARLES "NIC'OLLE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 608,581 Cowley Aug. 9, 1898 1,431,488 Reed Oct. 10, 1922 1,629,323 Swartz May 17, 1927 1,677,764 Gloekler July 17, 1928 1,715,301 Mason et al May 28, 1929 1,873,058 Smith Aug. 23, 1932 1,893,455 Stone Jan. 3, 1933 1,895,899 Schaub Jan. 31, 1933 2,131,967 Peropat Oct. 4, 1938 2,166,643 Salfisberg July 18, 1939 2,337,217 Williams Dec. 21, 1943 2,341,011. -Bascom et al Feb. 8, 1944 2,363,014 Nicollev Nov. 21, 1944 2,394,589 Behrens Feb. 12, 1946 2,468,517 Salfisberg Apr. 26, 1949 2,530,306 Land Nov. 14, 1950 

